This thesis investigates the expectations placed on voluntary sports clubs (VSCs) in exchange for Lottery funding awarded by Sport England. the resulting effects of those pressures on VSCs' organisational structures and VSCs' responses to these pressures. Using institutional theory as a framework. it is argued that receipt of funding from Sport England's Lottery Fund exposes VSCs to the normative prescriptions of the sports policy sector to a greater extent than they ever were before applying to the Fund. These normative pressures are reinforced by Sport England through coercion and the provision of legitimate models for VSCs to mimic resulting in a more bureaucratic structure for VSCs in receipt of funding.· The research was conducted in three phases. Phase one constituted the identification of institutional pressures exerted by Sport England through its Lottery Fund on VSCs through semi-structured interviews with Sport England staff and analysis of Lottery Fund documents. A survey of VSCs in receipt of Lottery funding from Sport England was conducted in phase two to establish any change in the VSCs' structures since receiving funding. Finally. in phase three. six case studies of VSCs were selected from phase two. Pairs of VSCs from three sports were selected for qualitative investigation. One of the pair exhibited an increased level of structure while the other demonstrated no change or a reduction in its level of structure. The majority of VSCs surveyed in phase two experienced an increase in structure to some degree after receiving Lottery funding. However. the case studies in phase three demonstrate that the changes in VSCs' level of structure cannot be attributed only to receipt of Lottery funding from Sport England. Two of the six case studies also made resistant responses to the institutional pressures of Sport England's Lottery Fund.

Supervisor:

Not available

Sponsor:

Not available

Qualification Name:

Thesis (Ph.D.)

Qualification Level:

Doctoral

EThOS ID:

uk.bl.ethos.275018

DOI:

Not available

Keywords:

Political science Political science Public administration Finance Taxation